Act II


of civil wars and intrigues


"Say, Rikuo-kun, is something serious going on?"

"Hmm? Why do you ask that?"

Kana looked from one yokai in disguise squashed next to them in the tram to the next. "Somehow it seems you've got more security than normal."

"See?" Rikuo said with a dramatic sigh to a tall man in a suit who Kana hadn't recognized until that moment as Kurotabo. "Even Kana-chan noticed. If we're trying to go for secrecy this is the worst we can do."

"What do you mean secrecy, Young Master? The Shikoku yokai already know of your appearance during the day." Oikawa-san pointed out.

Rikuo rolled his eyes. "Not from them. From everyone else who might be watching and don't tell me there couldn't possibly be any strangers in our territory when any lone yokai can just jump on a plane and report back by phone. Sticking so many guards on me is like putting up a neon sign that we're in a crisis." Rikuo-kun argued. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last thing we need at the moment is more rodents trying to take a bite."

"So something is going on," Kana said into the uncomfortable silence where none of the yokai managed to look Rikuo-kun in the eye.

"Yes it is, but you don't need to worry about that, Kana-chan."

Kana frowned. "If you say something like that I'll only worry more." She bit her lip. "Is there anything you can tell me? Something I can help with?"

Rikuo traded glances with Oikawa-san. (And wasn't it just unfair what that did to Kana's insides?)

"Well," said Rikuo slowly, rolling the sounds off his lips. "I guess...if you can't get in contact with us or need help with yokai and we can't help or something, get in contact with Keikain-san. She's good at what she does and at the moment the Main House is not hundred percent secure."

An uneasy feeling spread in Kana's stomach but she didn't let it show. "It's that serious?"

Another traded glance that she couldn't read. "It's pretty serious," Rikuo admitted. Then he smiled. "But on the upside, it won't take much longer before we cr- I mean take care of those guys. They're confident, that makes them impatient and prone to mistakes."

Really? Kana wanted to ask childishly, yearning for the blind confidence she had had when she was younger, when she knew Rikuo-kun would take care of it without being aware that something could happen to him because of it. They stepped of the train.

She wondered what Nura-san was doing, and tried to picture her father in his position. It didn't fit. She tried to picture herself in Rikuo-kun's shoes and though that went better she knew she wouldn't be able to move under the weight of his responsibilities.

But Rikuo-kun seemed confident and in more ways than just the habitual way that bordered on arrogance. "I'll believe you, Rikuo-kun. But you better tell me when this is over. Or if there is anything I can do. Promise me."

Rikuo-kun looked taken aback for a moment before he smiled, slow and happy in the way that was entirely human. "Promise. You haven't been over in a while after all," he said as they entered their school building. "Without the rest of the club, I mean. Natto Kozo and the others miss you."

"You did throw me a birthday party, though," she reminded him as she toed off her outside shoes and exchanged them with the school shoes.

Rikuo-kun grinned, as she had known he would. Honestly he had enjoyed the celebration probably more than she had and that was saying something.

A new voice cut in. "Ienaga-san. Oikawa-san. Nura-kun. Good morning."

Kana looked up. "Yura-chan. Good morning. What's with that uniform?"

"It from my old school, 'cause I tore mine up again." She spoke to Kana, but didn't take her eyes off Rikuo-kun. "I had a fight with the Shikoku yokai Muchi, ya know."

"Oh no! Are you alright?" Kana wasn't supposed to know that yokai, was she?

"I'm fine, thanks for asking, Ienaga-san," she said slowly, still watching Rikuo-kun who closed his shoe case obliviously. "Nura-kun have you ever heard of the Shichinin Dogyo? He was one of those."

Rikuo blinked at her in surprise. "Me? The...what was it – Shichinin Dogyo? Hmmm." He seemed to be seriously considering for a while. "No, I'm sorry. Can't say I have, why?"

Kana didn't believe him for a second. She'd take any bet that that yokai had something to do with what was going on with his Clan.

"…never mind." Said Yura-chan slowly, suspiciously.

"Ah, if you wanted to know more about them, why don't you ask Kiyotsugu? Even if that yokai or his group aren't from around here, he can definitely find out more. Don't tell him I told you so, though. I'd never hear the end of it."

Yura was still staring. Oikawa-san seemed to be sweating drops of nervousness in the form of hail.

"Perhaps I will do that. Thank you, Nura-kun."

"No problem. Take care Keikain-san." Rikuo smiled.

Yura had just turned her back, and Kana told her racing heart to slow down when Yura whirled on the spot. Kana saw her fingers' flashed with the white paper of her shikigami as she was pushed aside and a body stood protectively in front of her.

This was it. It was over. Peace and normal life and Rikuo-kun and Yura-chan would fight out a war right here in their school.

But no.

No explosions, no shikigami followed.

In fact, Rikuo and Yura weren't even facing each other.

Something...something outside. Rikuo-kun was shielding her from the outside, and he in turn was shielded by Oikawa-san and another two random students who had never set foot into the school before this.

Peering around Rikuo-kun's shoulder, Kana saw nothing outside. Nothing but students and students and the same uniform.

Her stomach dropped through her feet. If Rikuo-kun's yokai could sneak into school, why couldn't others?

Slowly, Rikuo unfroze. Following his lead, so did his guard and Kana sucked in a breath not suffocated with tension.

And promptly froze again. Yura-chan was staring at Rikuo-kun anew.

Even Kana knew what this looked like. In all her years of making excuses around Rikuo, there was nothing coming to mind so save them from this.

Inscrutable, Yura-chan took a breath, then marched straight up to Rikuo-kun, stepping practically on his toes.

Oikawa-san lifted a hand to her lips.

Rikuo managed to look just slightly puzzled. "Can I help you, Keikain-san?"

Yura-chan stared, eyes roaming his face, searching. "Excuse me," she said, and slapped an ofuda to Rikuo's face.

Oikawa-san squeaked and sucked in a breath. Kana crouched down into a ball, bracing for a blizzard.

It didn't come.

Peeling an eye open, Kana saw the reason why in the tight grip Rikuo-kun had on Oikawa-san's wrist. No blizzard. And Rikuo-kun…

- didn't look sick, or like he'd be turning into dust any moment or like anything other than a boy who had a piece of paper stuck to his face. His eyes crossed.

"Er," he said, and Yura-chan turned three shades of red.

Tearing her ofuda from Rikuo's face, she turned and ran shouting stammered apologies.

Oikawa-san slumped, joining Kana in the vicinity of the ground. "Damn onmyoji girl. Young Master, why can't we just put her into a packet and send her back to Kyoto?"

"Now don't be like that, Tsurara," he grinned, unfazed in a way the best actors would be envious of when they just faced something close to certain death. "Keikain-san has every right to be here."

"Maaaster," Oikawa-san and the other few students moaned.

Rikuo just waved a hand. "Never mind that. You sensed that just now, didn't you. We've got a problem." And oh, now he looked at bit tense though of course only a bit because he couldn't just make it easy for people caring about him – he had to enjoy the danger. "It's day time, and it'll stay day time, and we're at school and I'm clearly targeted."

Sometimes Kana wondered whatever possessed her to follow a boy into a yokai mansion.

"Suggestions, anyone?"

A chorus of groans met him, Kana's included.


"Rikuo-sama, it's me."

"Gozu, hi." Rikuo said into his phone, sticking it between his ear and shoulder to have his hands free for homework. "What is it?"

"About that matter you asked us to look into – we got a hit from the travelling yokai passing through our territory. You really hit the jackpot of creepy. There is a sword – it's called Demon King's Hammer." Gozumaru's voice was without humor. "The name is presumptuous but from what we gather its abilities are the real deal. That thing uses a hyakkiyakko as food." Lo and behold, there was some real anger in the gyuki demon's voice there.

"Hoh." Rikuo abandoned all pretence at doing work and considered his options for a brief moment. "That's good to know. Good job, Gozu." He rose to his feet, left his room and took a stroll in a seemingly random direction through the house. "It's bad thing to offer in gratitude, but tell Mezu I'm sorry. I promised to include him next time, but it seems like even if he left now, he won't get here in time."

"We can't leave anyway – those Skikoku reinforcements are trying to get past us but...what are you planning?" Gozumaru's voice was thick with suspicion.

"The only thing I really can now. Hang tight in the defence, you won't have to for much longer," Rikuo said and hung up. "Old man, I know you're here," he said to an empty spot on the veranda. "I'm planning to take the Hyakkiyakko out tonight. Put an end to this tanuki mess."

His father appeared, one eye closed and comfortably leaning on his hands, head tilted towards the orange sky. "That's sudden," was all he said without judgement.

Rikuo sat down next to him. "Letting him gather all his followers and letting him pick the time of the strike may be the best way to completely crush him, and to make a point of it. But something turned up that makes me think its a very bad idea to deal on the tanuki's terms."

Smiling lazily, his father voiced, "go ahead. This is your responsibility after all."

"I know that," Rikuo snorted. "Just thought it would have been bad form to take out the Parade without informing its current Supreme Commander."

"Brat."

"I sure haven't got it from mother," retorted Rikuo pointedly. Turning away, he called, "Karasu Tengu."

A near instant later, a black blur landed on the grass to Rikuo's feet. "Young Master."

"Assemble everyone who wants to come with me kicking a tanuki."

Karasu's eyes widened briefly before he lowered his head low. "As you wish."

Another two hours till complete sun down. That would have to be enough time to prepare. Rikuo climbed to his feet when his father's voice sounded.

"Here. Take this."

Rikuo caught a the thin object, and stared. "Nenekirimaru."

"I'm not going to have much use for it, stuck in meetings all day," explained the current wielder of the sign of the Supreme Commander with a tone of melancholy. Resting an arm on his knee and head on that arm, he peered up. "Use it well. Don't die, Rikuo."

His fingers closed around the sheath. "I have no intention of dying before all of the yokai world recognizes my name."

His father smiled, eye glittering. "Have fun."

Rikuo swallowed, and grinned. "Thanks."

Pulling out his phone, he dialled a familiar number. "Hey, Kana-chan. If you've got any plans for down town tonight, you should cancel them."


"Don't let her escape!"

Large black blurs hit the Yosuzume out of the sky. Strings coiled around the downed body not a second later.

The nurarihyon, the Commander, the leader of the winning (dominating) side, walked around his fallen opposing general with nary a falter in his steps towards the newly captured one. When he was within arm's length, the strings parted for his hand. It dived in and re-emerged with the cursed blade. After a long moment of studying it, features twisted in loathing.

"Kurotabo," he called, and the black monk yokai stepped out of the rows of his followers. "I want your opinion on this."

The monk closed the distance and looked over his master's shoulder at the weapon. The Nurarihyon, the Third, said something to him in a low voice.

The monk stiffened and though Yura couldn't read his expression because of his hat she would bet that if yokai could pale, this one would have.

"I see," said the Nurarihyon, voice so cold it made the goosebumps on her skin run for cover. The look in his golden eyes was more evil than it had been through the entirety of the battle that she had witnessed. He stared down at the weapon in his hands for a long, tense minute while his army awaited orders. Yura stood like frozen.

"Bring that Yosuzume back to the main house. I want answers."

Bright eyes locked with hers and Yura flinched at the fury in them, even though she knew it wasn't directed at her.

"Onmyoji," he said, and his feet carried him to her. She should run, or defend herself, or, or do anything - anything but wait for him stand across from her, far too dangerously close. (If he wanted, he could kill her before she knew – that grated.)

The tilt of his head however was considering, thoughtful as he looked at her.

"What do y' want?" She snapped. "I'll have you know that the truce is over now that you're finished with your petty civil war."

His lips twitched in a way that under different circumstances would have been a smile and wasn't it frustrating that she was able to read that?

"I hope you'll let us off for tonight," he humoured her, and held out the blade for her to look at. "And if you wouldn't mind doing me a favour, is there anything you can do here to seal this?"

….eh?

She stared.

First at the sword, then at the yokai holding it. Then at the hakkiyakko, all of their eyes on her, ready to jump in at any moment.

A yokai, wanting to seal a sword that gave power? Asking her, the mortal enemy to do it?

It was shocking, but had she been in this situation a couple months ago, she would have short first and considered it a real request never.

Her jaw clenched. She crossed her arms. Uncrossed them, because she was shamed – had her life saved by him and there was no way she could refuse.

Eventually she offered grudgingly, "I can stick an ofuda to it so that no yokai can touch it."

She expected him to turn her down. He wouldn't be able touch it either, after all. Instead he rammed the sword's tip into the street, leaving the hilt waiting for an ofuda.

Reluctantly, she put one to it.

"Thank you," the nurarihyon said, and smiled, turning back to his parade.

Yura felt her eye tick in irritation. "You can't just leave the thing here! It's the middle of the street."

He waved over his shoulder. "Oh, I know. Someone will come pick it up later."

A human, in other words. "Nura-kun?" Yura threw out suspiciously. The Commander's steps halted and the Night Parade started to murmur, looking at her in a way that was very different from before. Def-

The Nurarihyon looked back at her, smirking. "Whoever might this Nura-kun possibly be? Your boyfriend?"

Yura almost shot him, ceasefire and debts aside. Instead she managed to contain her anger to a shout and a stomp of her feet.

Turning on her heels, she left before she could rethink her not shooting decision. But that ass!

His voice carried after her.

"Inugamigyobu Tamazuki of the Shikoku Hachijuhakki Yakko. You have intruded upon Nura territory, attacked and killed members and humans under our protection, are responsible for the death of the Hihi of the Great Ape Alliance and his household. You have -"

Yura shivered.


Two hours late, the door was slid open to admit the Young Master. The Fear soaked air of the room stirred and waved around his body as he moved to the spot in front of the Supreme Commander in a way that entirely lacked the grace and subtly of his night form.

Rikuo-sama went to his knees and bowed, offering a long object covered by cloth in front of him. "Excuse my tardiness, Father. A matter that needed sunrise delayed my arrival."

He looked well for a boy returning from his first war. If he was hurt, it was not enough to show.

The Supreme Commander's face didn't change at all from the usual ease he held, as it had not changed in the hours where Rikuo-sama failed to appear. "You were successful?"

"Yes, Father." Rikuo-sama sat up. "The Shikoku Hachijuhakki Yakko has been crushed. The only remaining yokai are Yosuzume, who we have taken prisoner in regard to her involvement in a matter unrelated to this incident, and Tamazuki himself, who's life, with the agreement of the Great Ape Alliance's heir, Shohei, and on the behalf of the Great Shikoku Yokai Inugamigyobu Danuki remains."

The Supreme Commander studied his son in the same way he would the actions of any other subordinate. Eventually his gaze drifted over the ranks of his generals. "Objections?"

Predictably, Hitotsume spoke up. "Rikuo-sama. Did I understand right that the disrespectful tanuki is still alive?"

Rikuo-sama's head turned. "Indeed."

"Why do you allow such a thing? With the enemy commander still alive, can you really call this a victory?" Hitotsume demanded. "This mercy will make us look weak! They'll doubt our conviction."

Rikuo-sama's expression was decidedly impassive, but his eyes were hard. "Considering the circumstances, it seemed to be the wisest choice of action."

"How can unfinished business like that be wise? Do enlighten me, Rikuo-sama."

Lips curling, Rikuo-sama spoke. "I did not judge it so out of any sense of compassion or mercy for a yokai who would kill his own Hyakkiyakko for power." Rikuo-sama let it hang there as this formality became something more in face of an act like that. Focus almost visibly narrowed. "It was merely that the Inugamigyobu Danuki, an old acquaintance of grandfather's,who travelled all the way here to plead for his son's life is not someone to disregard. Had I chosen otherwise, we would have made a potential enemy where we are now owed a debt. Thinking of the future of the Nura Clan, I chose the most beneficial option. Do you still disagree?"

Hitotsume closed his mouth, looking away with a humph. His discontent quieted, no one else challenged Rikuo-sama.

"If there are no further objections with the Heir's actions," began Rihan-sama after long minutes of consideration and silence, "we can move onto this matter." He inclined his head at the cloth covered object. "What have you brought before us?"

Rikuo-sama reached out and, slowly, peeled layer after layer away, revealing a near broken blade, though the handle was kept covered. "I did not recall it until the moment I saw it's form. But there is little doubt, and I have had it confirmed. This is the weapon of the incident eight years ago."

Silence. It was as though the air had been turned into stone. The day Rihan-sama was stabbed.

"I have returned it," declared Rikuo-sama. "So that no one else may ever again use it against our clan."

Rihan-sama's face was unreadable.

Daruma recalled the day as clear as no other. A scream, then the horrible chaos that Rihan-sama was stabbed, no already dead, no completely fine, and in the end stabbed and on death's bed. The relief felt that Rikuo-sama was unhurt. The divine miracle that Rihan-sama had survived. The mood of the Shodaime before and after, and the decision on what to do with the blade that their healers had to extract from Rihan-sama's chest. Mere days later, the information that it had been stolen. Again, the mood of the Shodaime. The shame upon their clan brought on by those events.

With Rikuo-sama returning it, a blight has been cleared from the generals' honour by Rikuo-sama's hands.

Rikuo-sama tugged the cloth around the weapon again. The transfixed atmosphere was broken.

Rihan-sama spoke up, apparently untouched. "We will expect a complete report on losses and gains of the entire incident as well as its circumstances by next session. Until then you are excused. Good job, Rikuo."

Rikuo-sama smiled like sunshine and bowed once more before he left, taking the cursed blade with him.

Rihan-sama watched him go, smiling warmly in an entirely human way that disappeared the moment the door slid shut. "I expect there are no objections to naming Nura Rikuo officially Third and Second-in-Command."

Daruma had no doubt of the Young Master's abilities, and after this triumph if anyone else had they would not dare speak up.


"Would you look at what the wind blew in," Rihan drawled. "I thought for sure senility caught up with you and you got lost."

"Show a bit of respect for your father, brat," said father grumbled as his son casually dropped to his behind. "Take an example from Rikuo."

Rihan raised an eyebrow as if to say really? Him? An expression which Rikuo mirrored right until the moment he noticed he did at which point he smoothed his face into a semblance of politeness.

Utter brats, the both of them. Why had he thought reproducing was a good idea again? "Show us, Rikuo," he said, and the amiable air disappeared.

Rikuo folded layers of cloth away, revealing a near broken blade, a rusty handle and an ofuda sticking to it. "I asked Keikain-san for a ward," he explained, a cold, hard hate deep in his eyes as he looked down on it. Carefully he laid it on the floor for his predecessors to study.

Rihan took the sight in with some interest but no recognition. Hardly surprising. His father on the other hand would never forget that thing sticking out of his son's chest.

"Tamazuki mentioned something when we were fighting," Rikuo said, tapping his fingers against his lower arm. "He said he had been 'presented' with it. That someone had offered it to him, this sword which can make any sufficiently ruthless creature into one of great power." He looked truly cold as he glanced at both his father and grandfather. "Considering that in context of this sword's history, something had to be done."

He met both their eyes. The first Nurarihyon knew what he was getting at – had this been any other sword Rikuo would not have looked at it twice regardless of its history. But it was the one that had nearly stolen that innocent boy's father, it was the one he had seen impaling his parent for as long as it took for help to arrive. Plus who knew what things he saw leading up to that.

"How was it stolen from us?"

The retired Shodaime gave an even look back at his fierce, passionate and all-to caring grandchild. "We don't know."

Rikuo's jaw clenched. "Then I've got to ask. Is it possible that we have a traitor within our ranks?"

"You ask that and yet you have already made preparations on the assumption that we do." The first to stand at the top of all spirits nodded his approval grimly. "Questioning the loyalty of those who have sworn their lives to you is an ugly matter and quite painful for all the involved. We must tread with caution."

Rihan bit down on a modern world chocolate stick that he was in the habit of carrying around since Rikuo was little. "What's your suggestion, Rikuo?"

Nurarihyon's one and only grandson hesitated. "Just keeping it stuffed away won't get us closer to the traitor -"

"If there is one," Rihan interjected calmly but insistent.

"If there is one. They could do damage in other ways. Maybe they have been doing so all the time and we just didn't noticed. But I think, if there is a chance they would come for the sword a second time, we should use that."

"They will."

Rihan and Rikuo both looked at him, expressions again identical.

The first Nurarihyon smirked smugly. "While you were busy with bureaucracy and responsibilities I had a little chat with the prisoner you brought back."

Rikuo's eyebrows rose.

"I take it there was more to her then than just an opportunistic yokai who picked the wrong sword to steal at the wrong time."

"Yes."

"...She still alive?"

"No."

Rikuo hummed, and that he didn't pull a face at his grandfather for the fact said a lot about his attitude towards all of those involved with the incident eight years ago. "Too bad. We could have used her to lead us back to her master."

"I doubt it. She committed suicide rather than to give up more information to me."

Briefly, Rikuo looked surprised, but then he shook his head. "Nevermind then. Anyway, if we use the sword as bait, it will be interesting to see who bites."

"In theory, I agree." Said Rihan, studying his son more than the sword. Absurdly, it seemed the one who was least invested in the case was the one who almost died. "But it has been stolen from us once and since we don't know how they did it, it might happen a second time."

Rikuo smirked. "Yeah, about that. What were the security measures back then? Cause I think I have an idea that no one will expect." He was eager like a kid in a candy store.

Expectantly, father and son due looked at the father-and-grandfather. "Dear me. I suddenly feel old," sighed one of the most powerful yokai alive even in his advanced age. "Let me think…"


TBC